They’ve Always Been There....Losing Our Navajo Code Talkers
Composite image of Anthony and his grandfather, Carl N. Gorman, who is on Saipan in the photograph. Photo of Anthony by Michael Anaya-Gorman
Two days ago, we lost Navajo Code Talker, and longest sitting NM Senator, John Pinto at the age of 94. I’m sadden to share this news but I’m even more dishearten to share this news since John Pinto is the second Navajo Code Talker we lost in less than two weeks.
Navajo Code Talker Fleming Begaye passed away only a couple of weeks ago on May 10, 2019 at the age of 97.
Both of these men lived a fruitful life, filled with many accomplishments but this means we have only 6 living Navajo Code Talkers now. This fact has me reflecting much on growing up with these incredible men throughout my whole life and I decided to share some thoughts as we lost these two men recently.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m in NYC studying acting at the William Esper Studio. The Esper studio is the foremost place to learn the Meisner technique of acting. A large part of this first year is learning how to “craft” which is a very personal process. I won't explain all the details of the technique except to share much of the training has us explore what really effects us and fills us up emotionally. In order to do this we use the phrase “What if” all of the time to craft situations that activate our inner life. Our teacher tells us that crafting starts with asking “what if (this happens)” and then deciding how we feel about it.
Why am I mentioning my acting training in a post about losing our Navajo Code Talkers? I remember as a young Navajo being told not to think about “what if” because of the power of such thoughts. Through my actor training, I’ve explored the phrase substantially and learned how much our minds can harness a strong feeling from the idea of “What if.” So, the reason I’m sharing this is because I thought about the day when we won’t have any more living Navajo Code Talkers. This is a thought I’ve had before in many ways - I know there will be a day we don’t have any more of our beloved heroes with us - but I never really let the idea effect me. After the passing of Navajo Code Talker Fleming Begaye, I sat one evening crafting and asked myself, “What if all the Navajo Code Talkers were gone and how do I feel about that?”
My heart sank. They’ve always been there. But through my crafting, I envisioned a day I attend a parade or ceremony back home on the Navajo Nation where these men are being honored in memoriam only. The men I grew up with were gone. I couldn’t bump into one of them at Bashas’, shake their hand at Jerry’s cafe, usher them across a stage, or see them standup in their Navajo Code Talker uniform to be recognized. There were no Navajo Code Talkers on their parade float to wave cheerfully at the crowds who treasure them. Instead, I only had my stories of them.
As I let myself feel what this day would feel like, it felt similar to when I lost my grandpa and grandma, and celebrating the first major holidays without them. I saw myself at these places where I so regularly saw the Navajo Code Talkers, staring, at certain areas in the space and letting time bend itself to fill in their absence with fond memories and slowly bring their wisdom to clarity.
Now, I realize I write this post as we have 6 living Navajo Code Talkers still, but I wanted to share my experience of thinking about the day we won’t have our fathers, grandfathers, or great-grandfathers with us any longer. While my crafting was imaginary, the feelings were real. The countless public gatherings I went to with my mom, my grandpa and grandma, and on my own, the Navajo Code Talkers were at arms length. A presence never taken for granted, but a presence so common that the day without them will be felt and obvious. This is why I wanted to share my experience since the day without our heroes is coming and we still don’t have a dedicated museum for them, or more importantly, we only have limited time with those living.
I’m sure I opened a discussion channel with the lack of a museum and it is an important conversation, but for now I want to to begin closing by sharing how delightful it was that Senator John Pinto was bestowed an honorary doctorate degree from Navajo Technical University days before his passing and was able to receive his degree in person. Obviously, to receive such a significant milestone is an honor for anyone, but it’s important to put these men’s lives in context so we can fully understand the significance of their honors. The Navajo Code Talkers grew up during a time when they were separated from their families and placed in federal boarding schools where they didn’t really get a serious high school education. Instead, they received vocational training in areas where they weren’t expected to contribute much to the world they were being forced into. Many received “diplomas” in welding or farming, like my grandfather, Dr. Carl N. Gorman, one of the First Twenty-nine Navajo Code Talkers. I don’t know John Pinto’s full story but I know it was a momentous occasion for my grandfather when he was awarded his doctorate degree and he was recognized for his life long achievements and his degree said more than “farming.”
So, I’m sadden and humbled to think about these incredible Navajo men who lived a life where they were beaten for speaking their native language, weren’t expected to be anything more than farmers, yet had a massive impact on world history because of who they were. I hope by sharing my thoughts about losing our Navajo Code Talkers we can continue to honor those who remain, seek to commemorate those who have past, and place these men more into the pages of public history.